Ministry of Development of North-East Region
Year End Review 2020: Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region 
Earmarking of 30% of “Schemes of NEC” allocation for development of deprived areas; deprived neglected sections of Society
Union Budget 2020-21 accorded highest priority for the overall development of North Eastern Region; Budgetary allocation saw a hike of over 14% from Rs. 2670 Crore last year to Rs. 3049 Crore in 2020-21
Renewed focus on Development of Bamboo Sector in North Eastern Region
100% implementation of E-Office in MDoNER
Dedicated Desk of Invest India for NER
Major Achievements of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region  during the calendar year 2020 are as follows:
- Earmarking of 30% of “Schemes of NEC” allocation for development of deprived areas; deprived neglected sections of Society: The Government in January, 2020 approved the allocation of 30 percent of North Eastern Council's  allocation for new projects under the existing "Schemes of North Eastern Council" for focused development of deprived areas; deprived/neglected sections of society and emerging priority sectors in the North eastern States.Indicative List of areas/ sectors are as under:
- Programmes for afforestation of denuded hills in NER. The plantation will involve tall growing trees other than bamboo.
- Programmes/projects for development of organic farming in NER.
- Commissioning of studies to look into problems of ethnic groups in NER like Bru, Chakma, etc. and possible solutions to the identified problems.
- Documentation of disputes between different States of North East for further action by MHA.
- Study of various languages/scripts of NE States and measures to revive the lost languages/scripts.
- Such other projects of importance for focussed development of deprived areas, vulnerable and neglected groups/sections of society and other emerging priority sectors.
- Digitization of MDoNER: With 100% implementation of E-Office in MDoNER by way of providing support infrastructure and enabling access to E-office through VPN to officials, there was no disruption in working of Ministry in post COVID period. This ensured full utilization of the funds allotted to Ministry in FY 2019-2020. This also ensured safety and protection of employees without loss of productivity.
- Development of Bamboo Sector in North Eastern Region: Around 35% area under bamboo is in North Eastern States. However, this potential of Bamboo for NER was not being fully utilized due to restrictions in movement of Bamboo under Indian Forest Act, 1927.
Government removed Bamboo from the classification of trees in Indian Forest Act 1927 through Indian Forest  Act, 2017 and re-classified it as grass by Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change. The decision is a game changer for development of Bamboo in the North Eastern Region as it would facilitate large scale cultivation and processing of bamboo.
Another major reform relates to increase in import duty on bamboo sticks from 10% to 25%. This decision has paved the way for setting up of new agarbatti stick manufacturing units to meet the ever-growing demand of Agarbatti in India. There has been no import of raw batti since September 2019 and local bamboo produce is being used.
Moreover, in coming months, three Bamboo Clusters will be developed in Jammu, Katra and Samba areas for making of Bamboo basketary, Agarbatti and Bamboo Charcol which will provide direct employment opportunities to about 25,000 people. Apart from this a Mega Bamboo Industrial Park at Ghati near Jammu and Bamboo Technology Training Centre will also come up in the region within two years of the allotment of land by the UT of J&K administration.
- Destination North East: Destination North East is a calendar event of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region conceptualized with the objective of taking the North East Region to other parts of the country and bringing them closer together for better understanding and strengthening national integration. Previous editions of the Festival were held in Delhi, Chandigarh and Varanasi. Focus of Destination North East 2020, held virtually in September, 2020 was on the theme “The Emerging Delightful Destinations”.
- Union Minister Dr.Jitendra Singh launched Booklet and its e-version on one year achievements of Ministry of DoNER under Modi Government 2.0
East in June, 2020.
Union Minister of State  Development of North Eastern Region , MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, DrJitendra Singh launched a Booklet and its e-version on one year achievements of the Ministry of Department of Development of North Eastern Region, MDoNER here in June,2020.
Dr.Jitendra Singh congratulated the team MDoNER for achieving 100% expenditure during 2019-20 andsaid that there has been a significant development in terms of Road, Rail and Air connectivity, helping facilitate the movement of goods and persons not only across the region but also across the country.
The Minister stated that last one year has seen significant development in Infrastructure, Energy and other Sectors in the North Eastern Region.Under Govt. Policy of earmarking at least 10% of GBS for development of NER, Rs. 53,374 Cr were provided to NE States at RE stage by 55 non-exempt departments. Railways allocated of Rs.4745 Cr in addition to GBS. The allocation under 10% GBS has been rising sharply reflecting the focus of Hon’ble PM on North East.
Some of the major projects which have been approved, started or completed in the last one year in the NER and significant achievements of the Ministry of DoNER are mentioned below:
- Approved at a cost of Rs. 9265 Cr. Indradhanush Gas Grid Project would be a 1656 km long North East Gas Pipeline Grid covering all eight States. This would provide clean energy to NER and boost industrial growth without pollution. This would greatly help in preserving NE environment in its pristine form.
- The work on Greenfield Hollongi Airport for capital connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh,has started. The project with an estimated cost of Rs.955.67 Cr.is likely to be completed by December, 2022.
- Railways has completed Belonia-Sabroom  Railway-line for providing easy access to Southern Tripura and Chattogram Port in Bangladesh.Doubling of Hawaipur-Lumding,25.05 Km long Section of New Jalpaiguri-Lumding Project has also been completed.
Sanction of major new works include Doubling of New Bongaigaon to Aghri section via Rangia  at a cost of Rs.2042.51 Cr.;  Bridges on Brahmaputra at SaraighatandTezpurSilghat at estimated cost of Rs.888 Cr & Rs.3512 Cr respectively;  electrification of entire 2352 km long BG railway network of NER at an estimated cost of Rs.2293 Cr.
- In the roads sector,35 National HighwaysProjects having a lenth of 536 Km, with an estimated cost of Rs.7707.17 Cr have been awarded. 3 projects  have been completed in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Bulk cargo and container movement from Kolkata and Haldia Ports to Guwahati Terminal via Indo-Bangladesh Protocol  Route and NW2  has started. Operationalisation of this waterway would lead to and great savings in logistics cost. IBP route is being further developed in Bangladesh portion at estimated cost of Rs.305.84 Cr.
- KrishiUdaan Scheme launched in Union Budget 2020-21 has been operationalised and Transport of agricultural produce such as pineapple, ginger, kiwi, organic produce has commenced from Bagdogra, Guwahati and Agartala Airports.
- All impediments  to Subansiri Hydro Power project in Arunachal Pradesh have been removed and the work on 2000 MW project  has started and is expected to be completed by 2023.
Fighting COVID-19 Apart from release of Rs.7923.78 Cr by Ministry of Finance and Rs.235.59 Cr by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Rs. 25 croresof untied funds have been provided by MDoNER/NEC. MDoNER has also sanctioned projects worth Rs.152.18 Cr under NESIDSfor Strengthening Health Infrastructure in Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Two quarantine facilities viz. CBTC Hostel Block, Burnihat, Guwahati, Assam and NEC House, New Delhi have been identified. It was also decided that in the wake of COVID pandemic, the Ministry of North East  would sanction Rs.190 crores for augmentation of healthcare facility in the eight North Eastern States, particularly for developing infrastructure for management of infectious diseases.
NERLP and NERCORMP livelihood schemes of MDoNER, cover 6 States, 15 districts of NER has created livelihood for 4,12,644 households of the region. Under these schemes 36561 SHGs, 1506 SHG federations, 1599 Community Development Groups, 2899 Natural Resource Management Groups  and 286 NaMRG Associations have been created.
For promotion of MSME & Micro Finance Sectors in the North Eastern Region, NEDFi has disbursed an amount of Rs.47.02 crore against a target of Rs 30 Cr as provided in MOU with Ministry during June 2019 to May 2020. It has also provided mentoring services through BFCs to total 539 entrepreneurs and facilitated credit link for 77 entrepreneurs.
- Union Budget 2020-21 accorded highest priority for the overall development of North Eastern Region.
Budgetary allocation saw a hike of over 14% from Rs. 2670 Crore last year to Rs. 3049 Crore in 2020-21.
The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region , Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr.Jitendra Singh said that in case of Ministry of DoNER, the budgetary allocation for 2020-21 is Rs. 3049 Cr as against Rs. 2670 Cr in the RE 2019-20 . Out of this, the provision for development of infrastructure is around Rs.2900 Cr. Compared to AE 2014-15 of Rs. 1719 Cr, the budget allocation of Ministry of DoNER in 2020-21 is higher by 77.26%. In case of schemes being implemented by North Eastern Council , the current year’s budgetary allocation is Rs.1474 Cr, an increase of 19.23 % over RE 2019-20 allocation of Rs.1237 Cr.Dr Jitendra Singh also informed that the Budget for North East Council just doubled from Rs 700 crore to Rs 1474 crore in the last five years.
7. Dedicated Desk of Invest India for NER
In March, 2020, it was proposed to set up a special dedicated desk of Invest India for North Eastern Region. The desk will take up investment targeting, promotion, facilitation and website development for North Eastern States.
The facilities that are proposed be extended to the NER are: –
- Information provision
- Targeting support
- Facilitation support
- State training and capacity building
- Creation and structuring of state investment teams
- Advisory for states for their investment summits/roundtables
- Investors targeting support
- Website
All the above activities will be done in close coordination with the State Governments.
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